Grex Music3 Conference

Item 94: The music and drama connection.

Entered by jaklumen on Thu May 9 03:19:58 2002:

The connection is about as old as the oral storytelling tradition, I'm 
sure, but it's interesting to see how the stage and musical 
performance remain very intertwined.

In Hollywood, many actors were strong musicians because of the 
heritage of vaudeville: it was necessary to do a little bit of 
everything to survive.  One example is comedian Phyllis Diller, who 
was actually a music major at.. Juillard, I believe.

I'm not sure when instrumentalists started performing more like actors 
on the stage-- but it's got to be well before rock stars.  Elvis and 
the movies was definitely a noteworthy spot, however.
4 responses total.
#1 of 4 by tpryan on Fri May 24 00:02:56 2002:

        During the Ken Burns "jazz' series, you could see showmen
like Gene Crupa (sp?) putting on quite the show behind the drums.
Then again jazz musicians got good at the showmanship of playing
down on someone else.
        Spike Jones was also a big visual treat, in addition to 
the fun music.

#2 of 4 by jaklumen on Fri May 24 05:25:35 2002:

I wish I had access to footage of Spike Jones.

I think the connection is the return to music and dance in the folk 
tradition that Eurocentricism put aside somewhat.

#3 of 4 by remmers on Fri May 24 10:48:10 2002:

Re #1: Krupa.

#4 of 4 by tpryan on Fri May 24 11:46:50 2002:

        The Dr. Demento 20th anniversarry *video* has a 
Spike Jones performance piece in it.  it is however, shot
as a video on a sound stage, as opposed to a filming of
a stage or radio studio performance.  Very little of that
type of stuff survives, or in a condition to make it to
pop cultural re-release.

        Bluegrass musician can also be very visual in their
performances, as a group or particulary individually.

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